Satine

It's the muffled voices that are in a panic that woke me up. Pain like someone is taking a sledgehammer to my head hits me first. Causing me to try and bring my hand up to the back of my head. Realizing I can't move my arms much at all, an instant wave of panic slices through my body. Opening my eyes, everything is blurry at first.

I have to close them right away. The longer I have them open the pain grows fiercer. "What the fuck are we going to do?" I hear close by, turning my head in the direction the voices are coming from, I tap into my vampire hearing. "How could that have gone so wrong? It's what I don't understand. We had them right where we wanted them." The sound of their pacing causes me to whimper.

Everything comes crashing back into my mind. Going with Darius and Diedrek, in the middle of the night, to take on the evil of this world. Meeting them far away from the campsite, so then they wouldn't be able to find them in case we lost. However, my cousin Diedrek had turned more demonic than man right then, and none of them had a chance against him. Especially, when Kyla had shown up.

His strength only grew more powerful, his determination something worth commending. If I hadn't seen what happened to my cousins body with my own two eyes, I would have thought it was just another story. A mythical, wish-for-thinking story, that the human race had concocted to make all of us vampires seem that much more frightening.

Then, like a bucket of ice-cold water, I remember as everyone was fighting, my cousin had just killed his brother Rowland and his father. How distracted he and Kyla had become, when he realized that she was in good health, not a scratch on her. I looked on thinking maybe this will finally be over, only to be proven wrong once again in my hope. A hand covered in blood wrapped around my mouth and nose, causing the scream that released from my mouth to muffle against the icy cold skin of the monster's palm.

I had wailed at the monster who had a hold of me from behind's body as much as I could. With the fierce determination of a woman gone mad from their treatment for years as a small girl. I wasn't prepared for the piercing sting of a needle jammed into the skin of my neck. For the last thing to see was Darius running after us, as we went through some kind of bright light.

The thought of him breaks my heart, causes me to feel alone once again. A lone tear falls down the skin of my cheek, as I wipe it away quickly with my filthy hand. I will not let these monsters' see me weak ever again. Instead, I go back to thoughts of the man I have been in love with since I was young. The one that always came to my rescue.

I never knew what love was until one night, after a horrible time I had with the monsters that have me now. He came into my room, laid beside me on the bed, and held my hand. Looking deep into my eyes. He whispered the words, "Go to sleep. I'll protect you the rest of the night." Looking deep into his eyes I could see how honest his words were.

I fell asleep the fastest I ever have before. With him laying beside me, looking out for me. Protecting me in the dark of the night. Before that particular night, I had always thought Darius as handsome. Loved his personality in every way possible, but something happened that night between us.

There was a shift in our relationship, and I knew I wasn't the only on who felt it. I was almost completely asleep when I felt a kiss along my forehead, causing me to smile privately to myself. Knowing full-well in the morning nothing would ever be the same again between us.

"Satine, you awake?" The sound of her voice has my eyes popping open in surprise. Ignoring the pounding of my head, I raise my neck, looking around the room I am in for the first time. It looks similar to the dungeons of the castle we all grew up in, but they don't have the amenities that are in the small confinements there.

All I can make out in the shadows of the dark, is a bucket in the corner, the sound of dripping water lets me know there's a faucet somewhere close by. Hearing the sound of jingling chains has me looking beneath the small, barred window in the room. Moonlight shining through the small opening letting me know it's still the middle of the night. Meaning I haven't been out for too long.

Looking directly at me sits Constance, with her legs Indian style, and her long hair over one shoulder. Her usual beautiful blonde strands, look browner, covered in dirt. Her green eyes, the ones that all three of the Vanholme sibling's share. "Oh good, your awake." I can see the silhouette of her shoulders relax with the knowledge.

"What is happening?" My voice comes out hoarse, sounding like I had recently smoked a pack of cigarettes. Not that there has been any of those around in this world for years now. Although, seeing the predicament we find ourselves in I wouldn't turn one down. "Where are we?" I raise my neck once more, giving her my attention.

"I'm not certain, but the low-level witches they have with them know a few good spells. They have us hidden, as well as our chains cast with a spell so we cannot use any of our magic." She holds out her hands, palm side up, showing me that only a spark of her fire she has learned over the last year, can abrupt. Her face morphs into sadness, as her eyes find their way back to mine.

Nodding my head, I bring my hand to my neck, messaging the muscles there. My body feels as though I was hit by a train. I feel no soreness between my legs, at least that is a good sign. Letting me know, they haven't done anything horrible to me. At least not yet. "They didn't touch you." Her words have my eyes returning to her.

With a shrug of her shoulders, she answers my unspoken question. "I woke up just as they locked the chains around my wrists and ankles." A sinister smile forms on her lips, "Between you and me, they looked relieved. Letting me know that if they hadn't begun chaining me up, there would have been no way in hell they would have been able to keep me here." I could see a bout of pride shine in her green eyes.

We shared a laugh a moment later. Knowing how funny it is that the tables have turned immensely. Neither of us women are the frightened, weak, little girls they used to do things to. We are more powerful than even they are now. These chains may keep us from using our powers, but there's no way they could win in combat against us.

My thoughts are proven correct when we hear Tristan's voice shout through the door. "Good you evil bitches are awake." The sound of his voice brings a shiver to my bones. I may be able to fight both him and Alaric with everything I have, now that I am older and well trained. Thanks to Darius throughout these many years, but it doesn't mean the sound of them talking doesn't freeze my body in fear.

"You will be helping us with a slight problem." His tone tells us he doesn't want to hear an argument from either of us. I may stay quiet, to hear what he wants us to do. So, I can answer accordingly, not that I plan on helping them in the least, but the sound of raucous laughter has my head turning once more to look at Constance.

She's laughing so hard; her entire body is shaking. Her hand on her belly, as her other lifts to her eyes. Wiping away the tears. "You've grown more delusional if you think I will help you in any way." Her eyes, holding nothing but pure hatred look at the man through the bars of the door, as he growls at her.

All I can do is watch, as Tristan and Constance, glare at one another. Neither backing down in the least. "You will help me you fucking cunt!" He shouts so loud, the bars of the cell shake. Even as I fold into myself, a habit from my childhood whenever one of these crazy sons of bitches hollered and yelled. It doesn't phase her in the least. She only tilts her head to the side, slouches her body further against the wall and gives her father a sinister smile.